


Like A Star

by lovebashed



Category: Bandom, My Chemical Romance
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-03
Updated: 2012-02-03
Packaged: 2017-10-30 13:20:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/332173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovebashed/pseuds/lovebashed
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Only weeks after the dreadful night in Osaka, Frank, Mikey and Gerard find solace in each other while getting ready to finish shooting the video for their next single, I'm Not Okay.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Like A Star

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [desfinado](http://desfinado.livejournal.com) in 2010.

It's only on the last day of shooting I'm Not Okay that Frank realizes he's been running on empty for way too long. It's been a long summer, too many nights spent drinking with the guys and early mornings making sure that Gerard doesn't go wandering off the safety of the venues and end up a roadkill somewhere on the nearest highway. And then, before he could blink, they were already in Japan, trying to hold tightly onto each other so that the band they had worked so hard to build wouldn't tear away at the seams. He wasn't ready to end things in the little room behind the stage in Osaka where Gerard threw up all the shit out of his system, Mikey holding back his hair and making him take small sips of bottled water between the puking, taking care of Gerard like their roles had reversed, like Mikey was the older brother now.

Gerard's taken the brunt of it of course, two weeks sober and counting, and yet he's still standing, the only real indication of fatigue the dark half-circles under his eyes that are now mostly hidden under layers of make up.

"You're a star," Frank says, totally in awe of Gerard, sinking down between him and Mikey on the mid-step outside the high school. He holds out the can of Red Bull Light he'd brought with him from his visit to the vending machine; Brian had lent him the coins when all he could find inside his jeans pockets were his cell phone and empty candy wrappers, his keys and a cheap, neon green gas station lighter.

"You mean like, Liza Minelli or the ones in the sky?"

Frank considers it, his head foggy like it's lined with cotton. He's just so fucking tired. "You kinda look like Liza, even with your hair like that."

"All he needs is a mink coat and diamond earrings," Mikey adds, eyebrows knitted together but the corners of his mouth quirked up. In that navy blue jacket and striped tie Mikey looks like the skinny kid in Frank's class when he still went to catholic school, the one who got his lunch money stolen and his head dunked in the toilet on a regular basis. Frank had gotten a black eye for that kid one afternoon out in the school grounds, but he knows that for Mikey, for Mikey he'd take a thousand black eyes and broken bones.

Gerard takes the Red Bull from Frank and it makes a cat-like hiss when he snaps it open. Frank wonders how long they will be able to go on with canned energy. He's already cotton-brained, eyes heavy like lead. For the past two weeks he and Mikey have been taking turns staying up with Gerard, keeping him company, making sure to always fall asleep after Gerard and be awake when he's starting to stir.

"Anyway, Liza's way too classy," Gerard says, his wonky mouth sloping down on the left side. He heaves a breath, taking a long swig from his energy drink. "Besides, I don't feel much like a star right now, I feel like a tired alcoholic. I can't believe I'm only twenty-seven," he adds sadly.

"It doesn't matter how you feel," Frank says, giving Gerard a fierce look. "You're still a fucking star to me."

"And me," Mikey pipes up, wearing that tiny, goofy smile of his that makes his eyes crinkle up.

Gerard ducks his head but Frank can still see him grinning, a blush creeping up his neck while he's making dents in the can with his fingertips. They only have the final scene to shoot where they're supposed to walk down the hallway with attitude, swinging croquet mallets like they're all ready to take on the jocks. The Revenge of The Nerds. The sun's already starting to set; it's hanging huge and bright just above the buildings.

"A little while longer," Frank says, leaning his head on Gerard's shoulder while his hand finds Mikey's between their thighs, giving his spindly, cool fingers a light squeeze.

"What happens then?" Gerard asks, turning his head to peer into Frank's eyes, chin brushing against Frank's forehead.

"Then we sleep."


End file.
